Filip Višnjić
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Filip Višnjić (Serbian: Филип Вишњић) (born 1767 in Gornja Trnova near Ugljevik, today's Bosnia and Herzegovina, died 1834 in Grk, today's Višnjićevo near Šid in Serbia), was a popular poet and guslar (gusle player), known by some as the "Serbian Homer" both for his blindness and the poetic gift. A witness to historical events of exceptional significance to the Serbian nation, the bard immortalised these events in epic poetry.
He lived in Gornja Trnova until three years of age, when the Turks destroyed his family. His mother remarried, into the Mirkanović family, and moved to Međaši in the lowlands, taking little Filip with her. There, in Semberija, he learned to play the epic poet’s beloved single stringed gusle, and composed his first verses. He would often play on the archaic gusle at the church in Brodac. His true surname was Vilić. According to some authors, he took name Višnjić either after his mother's name Višnja, or after Višnjica quarter of Međaši, where he lived until he moved to Serbia. Blind from early childhood, unable to earn for living otherwise, he sang the traditional epic songs and composed many by himself.
During the First Serbian uprising against Ottoman rule, unable to join the fight, Višnjić tried to boost the morale of compatriots and composed many songs himself, documenting the battles in form of epic chronicles. After the Turks re-conquered Serbia in 1813, he went into Srem village of Grk, where he met Vuk Stefanović Karadžić, who took him in the Šišatovac monastery and recorded several songs of his. Vuk recorded and published thirteen Filip's songs, notably Početak bune protiv dahija (The Beginning of the Revolt against Dahijas), Boj na Čokešini (Battle of Čokešina), Boj na Mišaru (Battle of Mišar), Knez Ivo Knežević etc. Višnjić's poetry often exceeds its traditional models: while faithfully describing the battles and events, they also carry convincing psychological portraits of the participant, from Karađorđe to Prince Ivo of Semberija, who lost all his property by ransoming slaves from the Turks.
[edit] Heritage
Every year, in Filip's home village of Gornja Trnova host the manifestation of Višnjićevi dani. Held at the site where bard’s house once stood in Vilića Guvno, renowned writers, theoreticians and poets sing praises to the prophetic verses of Filip Višnjić. A commemorative plaque has been raised at the library in Bijeljina, while his countenance is incorporated into the municipal coats of arms of Bijeljina and Ugljevik .
The village of Grk was renamed Višnjićevo in his honour. Numerous streets and schools in Serbia and Republika Srpska are named after Višnjić. His picture is featured on 20 convertible mark banknote issued in Republika Srpska. During the Second World War he was put on the Serbian 50 dinar bill, in 1941.
[edit] External links
- (Serbian) Filip Višnjić—pevač i pesnik, project Rastko
